9.18.2013

The creator of the popular phrase “Tijuana makes me happy,” the writer was also an essayist and an expert on social media; a teacher at the Humanities Department at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, and a promoter of Tijuana throughout the world.

Photo: Bordocs.com

Tijuana • After two weeks of hospitalization with heart problems, on Tuesday afternoon the writer Rafa Saavedra died in Tijuana, after a surgery that he didn’t survive.

Rafa was currently a Master’s student in Cultural Studies at the Colegio de la Frontera Norte; besides being a fiction writer he was an essayist and an expert on social media; a teacher at the Humanities Department at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, and a promoter of Tijuana throughout the world.

The news has caused consternation in the Tijuana community. Rafa Saavedra, who wrote about the border in a different manner, was a dear friend to many people.

Víctor Soto, a professor at UABC, considered the passing of Saavedra, who was 44 years old, as a loss for that border.

“It’s a difficult situation to assimilate, like any that arrives so unexpectedly. Rafa Saavedra is an innovator in Mexican fiction, his ideas were quite rich and assimilated deeply by his generation; it’s one of those losses that touches an entire generation directly. We wouldn’t understand as much about new technologies. He gave a perspective to the entire vision of the border, I would place him at the center of things.”

Saavedra is part of a generation of creators and artists; he was among the first bloggers in Mexico, a winner of various prizes. He published books such as Border pop: texturas, interferencias y diálogos (2012) and Crossfader 2.0: b-sides, hidden tracks and remixes (2011). He attended, as an invited guest, various book fairs throughout Mexico. He loved Tijuana and he created the phrase “Tijuana makes me happy,” as well as distinguishing himself as an influential promoter of young talent in the region.

Alfonso García Cortés, also a professor at UABC, discussed impact of the writer’s death.

“It’s a great loss for the city and state’s culture. He had a very particular style, and he had a great deal of influence on young writers. As a tribute to him, we should return to his texts, study him, read him, enter his world.”

On the eve of his passing, Rafa wrote on his Facebook page: “The Echo of our memories, the power of love, the friendship that endures, all those happy moments.”

With Rafa Saavedra, a part of the generation of artists from Baja California disappears; Rafa always on the border, at the limits.